PRIVILEGE SPEECH

SUBJECT:

PROBLEMS IN THE USE OF THE INTERNET AND PERCEIVED

SOLUTIONS THEREOF

Our most Honorable Governor Ryan Luis V. Singson, Hon. Vice

Governor Jeremias “Jerry” C. Singson, dear colleagues in this August
body, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, distinguished guests, friends,
ladies and gentlemen.

Good morning/good afternoon

Everybody of us know how important is the internet in our daily

living. We find the internet in all aspects, facets and fields of our life
and activities- in the fields of communication, information,
entertainment, education, sports, education, health, business and
economy, in policies and government.

The internet is a means of worldwide social media and

communication and even entertainment. We get from the internet the
vital and needed information and data to educate our children and the
youth and develop their physical prowess, moral and social well-
being; to protect and preserve our health especially as of this time
that the world at large is facing new and continuous challenges
brought about by this sudden, unexpected and unforeseen public
health crisis brought about by public enemy, number 1 to date, the
Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We need the internet to run and
keep going our business, economy, politics and government.

On top of these, and or the other hand, there are unscrupulous

quarters and persons who use the internet for selfish, evil, destructive
motives and objectives. This, we must suppress, destroy and quell
while retaining and preserving the benefits and beneficial advantages
and use of the internet.

It is unfortunate, however, that our internet users have

encountered and are encountering a lot of problems in the use of the
internet among which are: (1) high cost of internet; (2) very slow
internet speed; which involves the passage of a lot of time before the
internet user can actually see, read or view the information or data he
is searching for; (3) easily disappearing internet user that he has been
fooled by the internet provider and making him realize that he did not
get the true value of his money paid for internet usage; (4) internet,
SMS and call loads being stolen before and during the use of internet,
SMS and/or calls with the same effect and realization as in the above;
(5) intervening, all-of-a-sudden repeatedly appearing unwanted,
unsolicited advertisement while using the internet, making the
internet user unable to search the information or data he is searching
for and wasting his usage time and money; and many others.

Of all the problems, the most significant and most important is the
very slow internet speed. According to the internet providers
themselves, particularly Globe Telecommunications, this is caused by
two (2) factors:

1. The delay in the construction of the necessary cell-sites that

should provide for the internet speed, for the reason that their
permit to construct is being withheld/delayed by the municipal
mayors or barangay Chairmen for the reason that the latter still
have to know the preferred cell-site location so that the
municipal government, through the mayors or the mayor will
buy the lot; and
2. Lot owners of possible cell-sites are weary and afraid and have
the impression that radioactive frequencies from the cell-sites
cause cancer.

In other words, the matter of the cell-site, particularly the

construction thereof, is being politicized causing delay of the
construction of the cell-site tower that should give the needed internet
speed.

This should not be the case because it is not only the internet
users who suffer because of none or slow internet speed, but it is
public interest which suffers in the form of denial to the public of
speedy communication, correspondence, provision of health needs
and especially in the education of our children.

Under the law, for as long as the internet provider/telephone

company has already submitted all the requirements, it is ministerial
on the part of the mayors to issue the construction permit. Delaying it
is a form of graft and corruption under the law, particularly R.A. 3019,
the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

It is not also the business of the mayors to be buying the lot on

which to construct the cell-site tower except if the internet
provider/telecommunication company request them to do so. Buying
the lot is the prerogative of the free enterprise system in a democratic
state like the Philippines. So, our honorable mayors/barangay
chairmen should not delay the issuance of the permit or the
construction of cell-site tower by their insistence that they will but the
lot on which to construct the cell-site tower that will give the needed
internet speed.

As to the choice of the location of the cell-site, that is also the

prerogative of the internet provider/telecommunication company,
except if the latter asks for the assistance of the mayor or barangay
chairman.

At any rate, if the mayors want any participation in the

construction of the cell-site tower, it should by agreement with the
internet provider/telecommunication company in order to avoid
violations of the laws. In this regard, the municipal government may
even use its expropriator power or power of eminent domain- the
power to use private property for public use upon payment of just
compensation.
 Here, the construction of the cell-site tower can be considered
as “public use” because the public at speedy internet and
communication. So, the municipal government may expropriate or buy
the private land upon payment of just compensation. Then, the
internet provider/telecommunication company reimburses the
municipal government for the price paid for the lot. In this case, the
second factor that delays the construction of the cell-site tower can
also be solved or eliminated the fear of the lot owner that radioactive
frequencies emanating from the tower cause cancer because once the
lot is expropriated, this fear is immaterial. The lot owner has no
choice but to sell the lot to the municipal government.

Anyway, with respect to that fear of the lot owner, the internet
provider/telecommunication company should give the proper
education and provide the power will protective measures and
mechanism in order to dispel such fear of the lot owner.

Furthermore, with respect to the problem of slow-internet speed,

the internet provider/telcom Company must institute technical
solutions thereto, such as implanting power and signal boosters in
gadgets they sell such as cellphones, tablets, iphone, etc.

Another perceived solution of the problem of very slow internet

speed is the adoption by internet providers/telecommunication
companies of an “independent common cell-site tower platform”
which shall be possessed and owned in common by the internet
providers /telecommunications companies. Hence, it will involve less
capital outlay on their part.

Here, the capital savings they can be used for expenses to

further improve their service to the public in terms of lower internet
cost and speedier internet.

On the legal side, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan may pass a

Resolution Urging the Internet Providers/Telecommunications
Company to Adopt said “Independent common cell site tower
platform”, otherwise, if the latter do not need to voluntarily to the
Resolution, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan shall pass an Ordinance
mandating and obligating the internet providers/telecommunications
companies to adopt said “independent common cell site tower
platform”, in order to provide to the public better public service in
terms of lower internet cost and more speedy internet.

It is a fact that the provision of internet is not just a business

matter that serves the interest for profit but it is a matter of public
concern that must serve the public interest in terms of lower interest
cost and speedier internet toward social stability and harmony.

And to cap it all, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, might enact an

Ordinance prescribing a “Code of Conduct” for internet providers
telecommunications companies to protect and to promote the public
interest. Salus populi est suprema lex.